David Mancuso DJ and Founder of The Loft dance music parties in New York City.

David Mancuso DJ and Founder of The Loft dance music parties in New York City.

David Mancuso DJ and Founder of The Loft dance music parties in New York City.

Phife Dawg Rapper and Co-Founder of A Tribe Called Quest

Phife Dawg Rapper and Co-Founder of A Tribe Called Quest

Phife Dawg Rapper and Co-Founder of A Tribe Called Quest

Maurice White Singer-songwriter Founder Of Earth, Wind & Fire

Maurice White Singer-songwriter Founder Of Earth, Wind & Fire

Maurice White Singer-songwriter Founder Of Earth, Wind & Fire

Vanity Singer Actress Prince Protégé Leader of Vanity Six

Vanity Singer Actress Prince Protégé Leader of Vanity Six

Vanity Singer Actress Prince Protégé Leader of Vanity Six

Muhammad Ali Boxing Champion Humanitarian

Muhammad Ali Boxing Champion Humanitarian

Muhammad Ali Boxing Champion Humanitarian

George Michael Singer-songwriter Pop Superstar

George Michael Singer-songwriter Pop Superstar

George Michael Singer-songwriter Pop Superstar

Tommy Ford Actor Best Remembered For Playing Tommy On Martin

Tommy Ford Actor Best Remembered For Playing Tommy On Martin

Tommy Ford Actor Best Remembered For Playing Tommy On Martin

Bill Nunn Actor Best Remembered For Playing Radio Raheem In "Do The Right Thing"

Bill Nunn Actor Best Remembered For Playing Radio Raheem In "Do The Right Thing"

Bill Nunn Actor Best Remembered For Playing Radio Raheem In "Do The Right Thing"

Nicholas Caldwell Singer and Co-founder of The Whispers

Nicholas Caldwell Singer and Co-founder of The Whispers

Nicholas Caldwell Singer and Co-founder of The Whispers

Clarence "Blowfly" Reid Songwriter Rap Pioneer

Clarence "Blowfly" Reid Songwriter Rap Pioneer

Clarence "Blowfly" Reid Songwriter Rap Pioneer

Billy Paul Philly Soul Singer

Billy Paul Philly Soul Singer

Billy Paul Philly Soul Singer

Gwen Ifill Award-winning Journalist

Gwen Ifill Award-winning Journalist

Gwen Ifill Award-winning Journalist

Prince Singer-songwriter Musician Icon

Prince Singer-songwriter Musician Icon

Prince Singer-songwriter Musician Icon

Bernie Worrell Keyboardist for Parliament-Funkadelic P-Funk Architect

Bernie Worrell Keyboardist for Parliament-Funkadelic P-Funk Architect

Bernie Worrell Keyboardist for Parliament-Funkadelic P-Funk Architect

Sharon Jones Singer Leader Of The Dap-Kings

Sharon Jones Singer Leader Of The Dap-Kings

Sharon Jones Singer Leader Of The Dap-Kings

Afeni Shakur Activist And Mother Of Tupac Shakur

Afeni Shakur Activist And Mother Of Tupac Shakur

Afeni Shakur Activist And Mother Of Tupac Shakur

Prince Be Rapper And Member Of PM Dawn

Prince Be Rapper And Member Of PM Dawn

Prince Be Rapper And Member Of PM Dawn

Kashif R&B Innovator

Kashif R&B Innovator

Kashif R&B Innovator

Colonel Abrams House Music Icon

Colonel Abrams House Music Icon

Colonel Abrams House Music Icon

Lee Andrews Doo-wop Singer Father Of Questlove And Donn T

Lee Andrews Doo-wop Singer Father Of Questlove And Donn T

Lee Andrews Doo-wop Singer Father Of Questlove And Donn T

David Bowie

R.I.P. Frankie Knuckles

March 31, 2014blakcitrus

House music legend Frankie Knuckles passed today at the age of 59 due to complications from diabetes. Bronx-born Knuckles was best friends with Paradise Garage DJ Larry Levan and they started their careers together at The Continental Baths in New York City in the ’70’s. Knuckles left NYC and moved to Chicago to be the more sophisticated face of underground dance music at the Warehouse Club during the late ’70’s and early ’80’s. At the time Ron Hardy was the hard-hitting DJ at The Music Box known for his wild sets, but Knuckles had a smoother Philly-soul influenced approach to his music. Knuckles left the Warehouse in 1983 to open The Power Plant and with the help of Chip E. started building his reputation as a producer by releasing music that featured Jamie Principle, Robert Owens, Ricky Dillard and Satoshi Tomiie. His central involvement in these early days of the new genre earned him the title of Godfather Of House. After the Power Plant closed in ’87 he toured and had residencies around the world while releasing several singles and his first solo album, Beyond The Mix in 1991. The album spawned his popular “Whistle Song” and “Rain Falls.” In 1997 he became the first dance music DJ/Producer to receive a Grammy for Remixer of the Year Non-Classical. Knuckles’s continued to work as a remixer and released three solo albums in total which included his sophomore project with Adeva. In 2004 he had a day dedicated to him in Chicago and the place where The Warehouse club used to be is now called Frankie Knuckles Way and then Senator Barack Obama helped to make it possible.